By making Driss and Philippe fully realized characters (the film is based on a true story) with histories and lots to learn about life and each other, The Intouchables manages to escape the trappings of the Magic Negro genre.

Based on a true story, The Intouchables tells the story of Philippe, a quadriplegic who hires a Senegalese immigrant named Driss as his caregiver. Driss, just out of prison for robbery, seems an unlikely choice -- but he and Philippe develop a bond that goes beyond employer-employee.

The real magic of the movies lies in the filmmakers' ability to transport their audiences to places they have never been and wish they could inhabit. Such is the case with the upcoming release of The Intouchables.